At Solem Orthodontics our mission is to provide exceptional quality orthodontic care with empathy, respect, and individual pride. Our Practice is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our patients and office visitors is our highest priority.
Committed to helping and empowering others through oral health, Dr. Solem began his career in dentistry at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston where he graduated cum laude. He completed an undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2014 he became certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.
During dental school, Dr. Solem pursued an elective four month dental externship at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless. Healthy and with a restored dentition, many patients were able to find jobs and a place to live again. He also trained in the pediatric dentistry clinic at Boston Childrens Hospital, where he treated children with special needs and illnesses. Motivated by this work, he pursued orthodontic residency training at the University of California, San Francisco.
After completing orthodontic residency in 2013, Dr. Solem worked for one year as a craniofacial orthodontist at Mott Childrens Hospital at the University of Michigan. At this center, he treated children with rare diseases and developmental anomalies, including cleft lip and palate. This work was done in close collaboration with other medical disciplines (plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, speech pathology, and audiology) to provide complex orthodontic treatment to all age-ranges of children. He currently serves on the board of the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists.
Dr. Solem lives in Pleasant Hill, CA with his family, where he enjoys running, biking, surfing, and playing the cello. Hes delighted to join the wonderful team of dental specialists serving the communities of Pleasant Hill, Concord, Walnut Creek and Martinez.
I started my career in pediatric dentistry. I have now been working in orthodontics for 25 years. I love working in orthodontics it has become a huge passion of mine. It is such a wonderful experience to see how something as simple as a smile can change the lives of so many people. I am excited to be part of the team at Solem Orthodontics and look forward to meeting some new faces. In my spare time away from work I enjoy spending time with my family, doing projects around the house, cooking, hiking, kayaking or enjoying a day at the beach.'
Yvonne loves being a part of creating our patients great smiles. She brings to the practice 35+ years experience working as an orthodontic dental assistant. She also shares her expertise in explaining treatment options to patients as our office treatment coordinator. She has worked for the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and still volunteers running after school sports/art programs. She enjoys hiking, the beach and spending time with her husband, four kids, family and friends.
Reviews
Rating 5.0 out of 5 based on 5 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestGretchen
2 years ago
I am a 50+ adult who never got braces as a kid. One upper tooth has always been crooked, but the bottom teeth used to be straight. Also I've had a pronounced overbite my entire life. Over the last 10 years I've noticed that my bottom teeth are crowding, and over the last several years my bite has been completely changing so that I only had one contact on each side. I went to Dr Solem to see if this was correctable. He felt quite confident that he can not only fix my bite but that even the super crooked tooth that I've had all my life will be fixed. Because I have been comfortable with sleeping with a night guard, Dr Solem recommended Invisalign so that I can continue having a "night guard" of sorts as I sleep better with one. This process will take 1.5 to 2 years and I'm currently only 3.5 weeks into the process. I am so shocked that I already have 3 points of contact on each side of my mouth, and my overbite is drastically reduced (which even a friend noticed). This past week I had a little concern over the tray position on my 3rd set of trays and Dr Solem and his team were very accessible and even moved up my appointment to check to see what's going on and to give advice. They are not worried about it and explained what is happening. I feel like they all really care and are genuinely excited about fixing my teeth. I won't lie....Invisalign isn't completely a walk in the park (what braces are?), but I'm really excited about the final outcome. I'm excited about how much better it already is after 3 weeks! As for the appearance of the office, it is very clean and welcoming. I'm thoroughly impressed. I'm sure I'll be updating this review as the 1.5 - 2 years progress.
Vadim Finkelstein
2 years ago
Dr. Solem is probably the best orthodontist i have seen. We switched to Solem Orthodontics from my old dentist because we were not satisfied with the work they did. Dr. Solem has Harvard training and was recommended by friends of our family, so i knew he would be more capable than my old dentist. My son needed braces and the he walked us through the entire process. He was very patient and professional and explained all our options. We chose to go with Invisalign. Dr Solem had the braces done professionally and in a timely manner. My son says they fit great. His teeth already look much better, and Solem orthodontics is really good about following up and keeping us on track - Invisalign is a process that takes months to complete, requiring dental professonal's supervision. I would not trust my family's dental health to just any place and my family is very pleased with the care and service we are receiving from Solem Orthodontics.
Luke Jackson
2 years ago
Dr. Solem provided orthodontic care for our son Dylan for years at his prior practice. Through Dr. Solem's thoughtful and conscientious treatment, Dylan's smile became much brighter and clearer as his teeth were straightened and made even! Dylan is now an adult, and has a 100-watt smile thanks to Dr. Solem!
K Rogers
2 years ago
Solem Orthodontics saved me in a pinch! A wire on my retainer broke and my last orthodontist appointment was over 15 years ago. Dr Solem first offered to see if it was fixable (it was beyond repair) and then he made me a new one and it was ready within a week! When I picked it up he took his time ensuring everything fit correctly, nothing was poky or messing with my bite. He also offered for me to come back and get it adjusted if I noticed anything down the road (it fit perfectly). Solem Orthodontics was extremely efficient and kind and I felt like I was in the hands of a professional. I'm reassured knowing I have a good, trustworthy orthodontist for any future needs.
Chelsea Carpenter Gil
2 years ago
Dr. Solem is trustworthy and I highly recommend. Overall, the office practices a great amount of personal care. I first visited Dr. Solem because my 20+ year old retainer broke. The process for a new retainer was quick - a single appointment to discuss options for replacement and within that same appointment he was able to take a 3D scan of my mouth to make the retainer. I've been really happy with the new one. Throughout the entire process, the entire practice was a pleasure to interact with. The offices are clean and the equipment is modern.
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